Allara Drives, Social Enterprise Driving School
Frequently Asked Questions
Before you start your lessons
Book online using our quick and easy booking form.
You will need your Learner’s Licence, but other than that – nothing! We can teach you even if it’s your first time in the driver’s seat. We only ask that you bring a good attitude and willingness to learn.
Yes absolutely! In the ACT, you can have your log book competencies marked off by any number of Accredited Driving Instructors. Our driving instructors will assess your level in your first lesson and go from there.
Yes. For your first ten lessons with an Accredited Driving Instructor a one hour lesson will count as three hours towards your logbook. After the first ten lessons, each hour will only count as one hour.
All our lessons are in automatic vehicles.
Everyone progresses at their own pace and so it’s not possible to say how long it will take you to finish the competencies required in the log book. However, a minimum of 7 lessons will be required, and potentially up to 20 lessons, depending on your skills.
Your instructor will decide when you are ready and rest assured, we’ll never try and sell you more lessons than needed and will advise when we feel you have the skills to pass the log book test. At this point, you will be able to sit for your Final Drive assessment. You will not need to have a separate test with Access Canberra.
Don’t forget, you will also progress faster if you can do some extra practice hours outside of lessons (always with a fully licensed driver alongside you!).
Absolutely. All our drivers are covered by insurance as required by the ACT Government.
We understand that sometimes things happen and you need to cancel or reschedule your lesson. The first time this happens, there’ll be no charge, but thereafter the following fees will apply:
- 24 hours or more before lesson start time – $0 fee
- 12-24 hours before lesson start time – $20 fee and rescheduled lesson (we will rebook your lesson for you)
- 12 hours or less (including no show) – $90 fee and cancelled lesson (you’ll need to rebook and pay for your lesson)
Day of your lessons
You must bring your Learners License and your Log Book to every lesson. If you do not have a Log Book yet, you can get one from any Access Canberra shopfront.
Yes, you can be picked up and dropped off at any location (e.g. from home to school). However, we recommend that you are dropped off close to your original pick up point so that you can spend more time learning and less time stuck in traffic.
If you are running late, you will receive your lesson with the remaining time. For example, if you are 15 minutes late, then your lesson will be 45 minutes in total (instead of 60 minutes). Please let your instructor know via text message if you know that you are going to be late.
No, due to insurance and safety, all students must use the instructors’ vehicle which has dual controls fitted.
After your lessons
We understand that getting your hours can be difficult if you do not know anyone who has the time or the required license to help you. We also know how important it is to practice as much as you can!
If this is you, please email driving@allaracreative.com.au and we might be able to pair you up with a mentor who can support you to complete your supervised hours.
We want to hear your constructive feedback – good or bad – so that we can improve lessons for other Canberrans! Please contact Ruth or Jess at driving@allaracreative.com.au.
Yes. At any time when learning manual you can change to automatic without having to redo any competencies. Although, if you are learning automatic and decide you want your manual license you will need to redo all your competencies in a manual.